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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. craft — a skill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — thin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — to bend
  20. dip — to sink
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com